Securing teacher assessment at Key Stage 2/3 - Information Meeting for Cluster Contacts

1. Securing teacher assessment at Key Stage 2/3 -Information Meeting for Cluster Contacts 28 June 2011 – Llandudno 29 June 2011 – Cardiff 30 June 2011 - Swansea

2. The English Team: • Chief Moderator – Elan Davies • Deputy Chief Moderators: • Eileen Jones and • Helen Bowen

3. ENGLISH: Programme for the session • Welcome to the meeting • Setting a context: cluster moderation as part of ensuring consistency in teacher assessment at KS2 and KS3 • Feedback from the pilot: • Summary of the outcomes and key messages • Model for national implementation: • Timeframe and key dates • Requirements for clusters’ sample evidence • Nature of moderators’ feedback • Supporting cluster moderation: • What makes a good learner profile? Examples of good practice and guidance materials

4. Cluster Moderation: Statutory Requirements

5. Standardising at KS2-KS3: ENGLISH (School) • Standardisation involves a process of using samples of the work of the same learner or of different learners to enable teachers to reach agreement on levels of attainment by confirming a shared understanding of the characteristics of a level. • Materials collated for standardisation purposes ... are described as the school, department or cluster standardisation portfolio which is used as a reference source of evidence.

6. Moderating at KS2-KS3: ENGLISH (School and Cluster) • Moderation at the end of a key stage, where a ‘best-fit’ judgement on an individual learner’s level of attainment is made. • This is exemplified through ‘a range of work of an individual learner, a learner profile ... to assist judgements to be made at the end of a key stage, through moderation’.

7. Making ‘best-fit’ judgements: ‘... to recognise progress within a key stage, best-fit judgements could use the features of adjacent level descriptions to indicate whether a learner is working at the lower end, securely within, or at the top end of a broad National Curriculum Outcome/Level. Typically, a learner at the lower end of an Outcome/Level shows mainly characteristics of that Outcome/Level across a range of work, but may still have some characteristics of the previous Outcome/Level in some aspects of the work. A learner securely within the Outcome/Level demonstrates the characteristics of that Outcome/Level across a range of work. A learner at the top end of an Outcome/Level demonstrates clearly characteristics of that Outcome/Level across a range of work with some examples of characteristics of the next Outcome/Level. Special schools and mainstream schools can use such best-fit judgements to share information about individual learners, within and across schools. At the end of a key stage, learners’ attainment must be reported in terms of the most appropriate whole Outcome/Level. All attainment at the lower end, securely within or at the top of an Outcome/Level should be recorded as being at that level.’ [Ref. ‘Making the most of assessment’, page 8]

8. The Moderation Process: Cluster and External Moderation Learner profile for Cluster Moderation process Selected learner profiles for external moderation

9. KS2-3 Moderation Pilot: Feedback Clusters were asked to submit the following evidence: • four end of key stage learner profiles representing two NC levels - Levels 4 and 5: - one Level 4 learner profile from KS2 and one from KS3; and • one Level 5 learner profile from KS2 and one from KS3. • External moderation was focused on lower end and top end of level learner profiles.

10. Evidence for English: Pilot Guidance asked that ... • Each learner profile contain evidence for all 3 attainment targets, (Oracy, Reading and Writing) taken from the Programme of Study for English (Skills and Range) to demonstrate the level characteristics of Curriculum 2008.

11. Further pilot guidance: • Oracy evidence can be provided in audio/audio-visual format or as secondary evidence through teacher commentary on the task and learner performance. This evidence should come from normal classroom practice. • In order to demonstrate performance across the Range, reading and writing evidence should include literary and non-literary evidence (see Programme of Study for further guidance). • Where the same evidence is used to demonstrate performance in more than one attainment target, e.g. oral assessment of reading evidence used to support both reading and oracy attainment, commentary should refer to both ATs. • It is important for moderation that relevant resources/stimulus materials and/or frameworks for work in each attainment target are included with the sample. In relation to reading, copies of texts should be included, e.g. copy of a poem, leaflet, extract from prose text etc.

12. Further pilot guidance: • Each learner profile must include teacher/cluster commentary: • To demonstrate the cluster’s understanding of the level descriptions • In summary form for each profile to explain the cluster’s best-fit judgement of lower end of top end of the relevant level.

14. PILOT FINDINGS: To build on current best practice at KS2 and KS3 clusters should ensure that ... • they demonstrate evidence of moderating learner profiles rather than standardising individual pieces of work; • learner profiles include evidence for each attainment target. As noted in the guidance and exemplified during the pilot’s information meetings, secondary evidence through teacher commentary for Oracy is appropriate; • learner profiles for school and cluster moderation include a range of evidence for each of the attainment targets. The evidence should sufficiently demonstrate the level characteristics relevant to the learner profile (lower end/top end or securely within); • cluster commentary reflects the level characteristics demonstrated in the learner profile and demonstrates the cluster’s overall best-fit judgement; • task setting reflects the Skills and Range of the 2008 English programme of study e.g. a balance of non-literary and literary evidence for both Reading and Writing and evidence of a range of Oracy tasks. This is essential to ensure that assessment reflects the normal classroom practice relevant to the programme of study including the 2008 level descriptions.* • cluster commentary includes contextual information for each task; • evidence includes resource/stimulus material where relevant.

15. Additional points of reference: Chief Moderator Report • *In some profiles ‘there was an over-reliance, particularly at KS3, for clusters to use past SATs material as evidence for reading. Whilst some had successfully made use of these to reflect more open tasks using the SAT stimulus material, some were still evident of test/examination conditions and therefore could not be considered part of ‘normal classroom practice’. Use of more open and creative activities often within the same profiles were actually a better indicator of learner attainment. This aspect was reported on as part of the previous KS3 external moderation exercise and should have been acted on since then. As expected there were few examples of standardised test results being used as part of the evidence for Reading. Naturally where these arose cluster commentary struggled to make any relevant links between the standard score and characteristics of the level in question.’

16. Administration Guidance Document: Please read carefully

17. Model for national Implementation: General - Timeframe

18. Model for national Implementation: General - Requirements • During the 2011/12 school year external moderation will focus on securing an agreed and consistent approach in primary and secondary schools to the assessment of oracy, reading and writing. • All clusters are required to participate in 2011/12 by providing learner profiles for two subjects - English and either Welsh First Language or Welsh Second Language. For both subjects clusters will select four learner profiles,Levels 4 and 5 identified from KS2, Year 6 and Levels 4 and 5 from KS3, Year 9. • New for 2011/12 – Clusters will also be asked to provide the moderators with details regarding the moderation process within their cluster. • Copies of the reports will be provided to all schools within the cluster and to the relevant local authority.

19. Cluster commentary, task information and stimulus/context [1]: • Each learner profile must also include agreed cluster group commentary identifying a level for each attainment target. Taken as a whole, the commentary should clearly direct teachers within the cluster and the external moderators to how the clusters’ agreed best-fit judgement was arrived at. Therefore the cluster should ensure that it also makes appropriate reference to characteristics of adjacent levels shown in the profile as appropriate. These commentaries should be sufficiently detailed to convey the cluster’s understanding of the level descriptions and agreed best-fit judgements.

20. Cluster commentary, task information and stimulus/context [2]: • Cluster commentary can take a variety of forms including, for example reference to teachers’ original annotations on their learners’ work, bulleted points or other succinct notes. • An optional proforma for cluster commentaries will be provided for each subject, and is available on the WJEC website. Comments that already exist on learners’ work or linked material do not need to be rewritten on the proforma. • It will not be possible to moderate profiles received without cluster commentary or stimulus resource materials.

21. Model for National Implementation: ENGLISH GUIDANCE [1] • Each learner profile must contain sufficient evidence for all 3 attainment targets, (Oracy, Reading and Writing) taken from the Programme of Study for English (Skills and Range) to demonstrate the level characteristics of Curriculum 2008. Across the 3 Attainment Targets sufficient evidence should be included to: • Create a reliable and useful assessment resource for the cluster; and • Convey fully to the moderators the cluster's understanding of the level requirements

22. Model for National Implementation: ENGLISH GUIDANCE [2] • Considering Sufficient Evidence: The cluster group should satisfy itself that the evidence (learner’s work, commentary, task information and stimulus/context) is ‘sufficient’ to communicate its shared understanding of national curriculum standards. If this is the case, it should follow that the information will also be sufficient for the external moderators’ check and feedback.

23. Model for national Implementation: ENGLISH GUIDANCE [3] • Oracy evidence can be provided in audio/audio-visual format (see Annex 2) or as secondary evidence through teacher commentary on the task and learner performance. This evidence should come from normal classroom practice and/or ‘out of class’ work undertaken by learners. If audio/audio-visual evidence is included it should be made clear which learner is being assessed and will need to be accompanied by commentary on the task and learner performance, this commentary could be written or audio/audio-visual.

24. Model for national Implementation: ENGLISH GUIDANCE [4] • In order to demonstrate performance across the Range: oracy evidence needs to include speaking and listening individually, in pairs and in groups in order to present, talk and perform for a variety of audiences. Reading and writing evidence should include literary and non-literary evidence (see Programme of Study for further guidance).

25. Model for national Implementation: ENGLISH GUIDANCE • Where the same evidence is used to demonstrate performance in more than one attainment target, e.g. oral assessment of reading evidence used to support both reading and oracy attainment, commentary should refer to both ATs. • It is important for moderation that relevant resources/stimulus materials and/or frameworks for work in each attainment target are included with the sample. In relation to reading, copies of texts should be included, e.g. a copy of a poem, leaflet, extract from prose /text etc.

26. Model for national Implementation: ENGLISH GUIDANCE • Each learner profile must include teacher/cluster commentary and should: • provide relevant background and context/nature • demonstrate the cluster’s understanding of the relevant level descriptions • in summary form for each attainment target (Oracy Reading and Writing) explain the cluster’s best-fit judgement with appropriate references to adjacent levels.

27. Optional Commentary Sheet: download from www.wjec.co.uk/keystage

28. Possible Evidence:

29. Model for national Implementation: ENGLISH

30. Cluster Moderation Process: All cluster schools should play an active part in deciding on best-fit by: • identifying learner profiles for the cluster group to use as a source of evidence. • attending cluster group meetings to moderate selected learner profiles • agreeing the moderated outcomes and adopting the cluster’s moderated learner profiles as benchmarks within their individual schools. • applying these benchmarks to future teacher assessment and in particular to end of KS2/3 teacher assessment.

31. Supporting cluster moderation: Process download from www.wjec.co.uk/keystage

32. Nature of Moderator Feedback : Report Codes

33. Nature of Moderator Feedback: Report

34. What makes a good learner profile? Exemplar Pilot Profiles: A, B, C and J

35. Additional Guidance: • Additional Guidance Booklet: KS2-3 English • Progress in English – characteristics of Levels 3-6 • Guidance on drama as a response mode for reading • National Guidance Materials

37. Model for national Implementation: ENGLISH GUIDANCE [4] • In order to demonstrate performance across the Range: oracy evidence needs to include speaking and listening individually, in pairs and in groups in order to present, talk and perform for a variety of audiences. Reading and writing evidence should include literary and non-literary evidence (see Programme of Study for further guidance).

38. Cluster moderation: Considering Levels 4 and 5 ORACY PoS: Range 4. speaking and listening individually, in pairs, in groups and as members of a class

39. Cluster moderation: Considering Levels 4 and 5 • READING Levels: • responding to literary • and non-literary texts • locate and use ideas • and information on a • specific topic from more • than one printed • source and use them • effectively [L4] / retrieve • and collate information • from a range of sources • [L5].

40. Cluster moderation: Considering Levels 4 and 5 WRITING PoS: Skills 1. use the characteristic features of literary and non-literary texts in their own writing, adapting their style to suit the audience and purpose

41. Model for national Implementation: ENGLISH GUIDANCE Summary • In addition to the learner’s work and stimulus/resource materials, each learner profile must include teacher/cluster commentary and should: • provide relevant background and context/nature (for the tasks); • demonstrate the cluster’s understanding of the relevant level descriptions; and • for each attainment target (Oracy Reading and Writing), explain in summary form the cluster’s best-fit judgement with appropriate references to adjacent levels.

42. Supporting cluster moderation: National Guidance

43. English Programme of Study and Guidance for Key Stages 2 and 3 http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/curriculumassessment/ arevisedcurriculumforwales/nationalcurriculum/englishnc/?lang=en http://wales.gov.uk/docs/dcells/publications/090109guidanceeng.pdf

44. Moderator Recruitment: